Transcript of Plato's Dialogues

Can virtue be taught—or not?Socrates debates the great sophist Protagorascontains a version of the Promethean myth53pagesGORGIAS

SocratesCalliclesGorgiasPolus

A debate on oratorySocrates debates the sophist and orator Gorgiasends with a myth of the afterlife77pagesMENO

SocratesMenoA slaveAnytus

Can virtue be taught?Socrates questions Meno’s slave in geometryideas: immortality of the soul, knowledge as recollection (anamnesis), hypothesis conclusion: virtue is a gift of the gods27pagesEUTHYDEMUS

SocratesCritoEuthydemusDionysodorusCliniasCtesippus

Dueling the sophistsgreat examples of sophistry by brothers Euthydemus and Dionysodorussophists promise to "refute whatever may be said, no matter whether it is true or false"Dionysodorus: "You are babbling instead of being concerned about answering."Socrates wants to enroll with Crito as students of the sophists sophists: there is no Truth, only Opinion36pagesSOCRATES"But this man here is so bizarre, his ways and his ideas are so unusual, that, search as you might, you’ll never find anyone else, alive or dead, who’s even remotely like him."

Alcibiadesson of the sculpture Sophronicus and the midwife Phaenarete. Half brother of Patroclesorginally worked as a masted stonecutterknown for bravery in battle: at Potidaea, Amphipolis, and Deliumdoesn't bathe much, dislikes crowdsGREATER HIPPIAS*

SocratesHippias of Elis

What is the fine?

Socrates and the sophist Hippias discuss the fineHippias: "Let me hear them once and I'll memorize fifty names."Socrates: "I forgot you had the art of memory."hilarious character of Sophronicus's son21pagesMENEXENUS

SocratesMenexenus

Funeral oratoryAlso known in antiquity as Funeral OrationSocrates recites Aspasia's speech on honoring the dead and the history of Athens14pagesHIPPIAS

SocratesHippias of ElisEudicus

Can one be truthful and a liar?Socrates has Hippias explain why he calls Achilles "best and bravest" and Odysseus "wily and a liar"unless one knows the truth, one can't lieit's better to be voluntarily bad than involuntarily bad13pagesION

SocratesIon of Ephesus

Divine inspirationIon is a rhapsode of HomerSocrates claims Ion's mastery of Homer is a divine inspiration11pagesREPUBLIC

The ideal citySocrates and others debate the meaning of justiceSocrates delivers his vision of the ideal city-state251pagesTIMAEUS

Timeaus of LocriSocratesHermocratesCritias

Creation of the worldthe day after Republicone of the only works of Plato available to Latin readers in the early Middle Ages—a foundation of NeoplatonismCritias tells the story of Atlantis—as told by Solon to Critias's great grandfatherTimeaus tells of the creation of the universe and human beingsincludes a description of Platonic solids, the Golden ratio, formation of the body, diseasesoft is what gives way to the flesh; hard is what the flesh gives way tosmooth is hard and uniform; rough is hard and non-uniform66pagesCRITIAS

CritiasSocratesTimaeus

History of Atlantisfollows Timeaus's speech directlythe history of prehistoric Greece, the ancient acropolisthe history of Atlantis under Poseidon and Atlas (the king)unfinished13pagesCLITOPHON*

SocratesClitophon

Questioning SocratesClitophon says Socrates is best at turning a person toward virtue Clitophon then claims Socrates obstructs those from actually reaching the goal of virtue

5pagesEUTHYPHRO

SocratesEuthyphro

What is piety?Socrates is on his way to answer charges of impietyEuthyphro has just brought murder charges against his own fatherdo the gods love the pious because it's pious—or is the pious pious because the gods love it?14pagesAPOLOGY

SocratesMeletusjury of 500

Trial of SocratesSocrates' defense speech against charges of impietySocrates is found guilty—asked to name his sentence, Socrates suggests "free meals at the Prytaneum" Socrates is sentenced to death18pagesCRITO

SocratesCrito

The social contractSocrates declines Crito's pleas to escapeif a citizen has enjoyed the benefits of the state, he should also abide by its laws10pagesPHAEDO

Phaedo of ElisSocratesSimmiasCebesCrito

Death of Socrates last hours and death (by hemlock) of SocratesSocrates discusses the immortality of the soul—relates a myth of the soul after death50pagesSTATESMAN

Socratesvisitor from EleaTheadorusTheaetetus

What is a statesman?sequel to SophistSocrates again takes a backseat to the visitordetailed examples of division and categorizationthe myth of earth-made humans in the age of Chronosdiscourse on clothes-making63pagesSOPHIST

Socratesvisitor from EleaTheadorusTheaetetusWhat is a sophist?the day after Theaetetusthe visitor from Elea (another philosopher) leads the discussion refuting the Parmenidean idea of "what is" with "what is not"conclusion: sophists do not possess knowledge, only the appearance of knowledge57pagesTHEAETETUS

EuclidesTerpsionSocratesTheodorusTheaetetusWhat is knowledge?the founding document of epistemologySocrates calls himself a midwife of ideas in young peopleviewpoint of the sophist Protagoras: "man is the measure of all things"theory of Parmenides ("all is unchanging") vs Heraclitus ("all is motion and change")great description of Socrates as spiritual teacher (150d-151c)on patterns: "he pays the penalty of living the life that corresponds to the pattern he is coming to resemble" (177)76pagesCRATYLUS

SocratesCratylusHermogenes

About namesCratylus (a student of Heraclitus) says names must reflect the nature of realityan inspired Socrates executes complex etymological examplesCratylus: one of the few who holds his own against Socrates54pagesPARMENIDES

ParmenidesZeno of Eleayoung SocratesAristotle

Instruction in philosophyParmenides and Zeno come to Athens to read from Zeno's bookParmenides instructs a young Socratesin the second part, Parmenides questions Aristotle on "one being" extended Parmenian hypothesis on what is and is not37pagesPHILEBUS

SocratesProtarchusPhilebus

Knowledge or pleasure?deep exploration of the pleasures and of knowledgeSocrates: "All philosophers agree, nous is king of heaven and earth."57pagesSYMPOSIUM

SocratesAristodemusAgathonPausaniusAristophanesEryximachusPhaedrusAlcibiadesSpeeches on lovetold by Apollodorus, who heard it from Aristodemussymposium (formal drinking party) in honor of Agathon's tragedyspeeches on the nature of love and loving boysAlcibiades crashes the party, then gives a speech on Socrates47pagesPHAEDRUS

SocratesPhaedrus

Countryside speeches on erotic loveperhaps the funniest of the dialoguesheadstrong Phaedrus forces Socrates to make speechesanalogy of the soul as charioteer (with one good horse and one bad)myth of the cicadas39pagesALCIBIADES*

SocratesAlcibiades

Instructing Alcibiadesself-knowledge as the necessary foundation for any other knowledgethe starting point (in later antiquity) for study of Platomoral: Alcibiades will never realize his ambitions without self-knowledgecomparisons of Athens, Sparta and Persia39pages2ND ALCIBIADES*

SocratesAlcibiades

Care in prayerderived from 1st AlcibiadesSocrates delivers a warning in what to pray for—only the gods know what is goodthe Spartans pray only for what is good and noble11pagesHIPPARCHUS*

Socratesa friend

What is greed?Socrates concludes we are all greedythe friend disagrees—but feels he has been tricked by Socrates' wisdomexcursus on Hipparchus, 6th century ruler of Athens 7pagesRIVAL LOVERS*

Socratesathletic loverphilosophical lover

Generalist or specialist?Socrates argues against generalism, in favor of specialistsphilosophy doesn't consist of learning lots of facts 9pagesTHEAGES*

SocratesDemodicusTheagesA new studentDemodicus asks Socrates about his son Theages' wish to be wiseSocrates says he knows nothing, except on loveSocrates discusses a divine inner voice which warns him against actionSocrates agrees to take on Theages10pagesCHARMIDES

SocratesCritiasCharmides

Right relationships (sōphrosunē)Socrates returns from Potidaea—and is smitten by young Charmidesa discourse on the virtue of sōphrosunē, concluding without a clear answer23pagesLACHES

SocratesLachesNiciasLysimachusMelesius

What is courage?Socrates is asked whether fighting in armor is good instruction for young menSocrates engages the generals Laches and Nicias on couragethe dialogue ends inconclusively21pagesLYSIS

SocratesHippothalesLysisMenexenusCtesippus

What is friendship?Socrates engages a group of good-looking boys in philosophyGreek saying: "Friends have everything in common"once again, they can't figure it out19pagesMINOS*

Socratesa friend

What is law?law is not what is accepted as lawideally law is discovery of realitystory of King Minos of Crete (the original Greek lawgiver) 8pagesLETTERS*

PlatoDionysius IIDion

On the politics of Syracusefrom the last two decades of Plato's life, when personally involved in Syracusean politicsletters I, II, III, and XIII addressed to the tyrant Dionysius IIstory of Plato's early years (VII)story of Plato's trips to Syracuse, dealings with Dionysius II, efforts to establish philosopher kings (I, II, VII)politically shrewd, intelligent, direct41pagesEPINOMIS*

CliniasMegillusan Athenian

Appendix to Lawsdiscussions on the nature of wisdom15pagesLAWS

CliniasMegillusan Athenian

Political philosophylongest and latest of the dialoguesproposes to legislate against homosexuality–in contrast to tone of earlier dialogues297pagesPLOT

Protagorus of AbderaEuthydemus of ChiosDionysodorus of ChiosProdicus of CeosGorgias of LeontiniPolusHippias of ElisThrasymachusBOOK Iwhat is justice?are people just because they are powerless?would we all be unjust if we could?BOOK IIGlaucon and Adeimantus praise injustice, hoping Socrates will refute thema story of Gyges of Lydiatheory of division of laborthe ideal city will ban "false" books and storiesBOOK IIIlamentations and stories of Hell will be banned, so none fear deathinharmonious things are banned: all modes except Dorian and Phrygian, most musical instruments, impure laughterguardians will live commonly, with common propertyBOOK IVjustice is harmony of selfvirtue is health, well-being of the soulvice is disease, weakness and shameful conditionBOOK Vshould men and women share roles?society should hold wives and children in common"the best men should have sex with the best women as frequently as possible"the idea of philosopher kingsBOOK VIAnalogy of the Divided Line (the divisions of knowledge):understanding (noesis) and thought (dianoia) are nonvisible, belief (pistis) and imagination (eikaisa) are visibleMetaphor of the SunBOOK VIIAllegory of the Caveeducation is the craft of "turning around" not "putting into"calculation, geometry, harmonic, and dialectic (the highest)true studies deal with association and relationBOOK VIIIthe 5 types of governmentaristocracy ("best power") is the form of Republicinferior types are: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, tyrannyBOOK IXthe nature of desiresthe tyrant's soul is worst, because his appetites rule himBOOK Xpoetry should be banned–it glorifies the passionsonly hymns to gods and eulogies of good people allowedimmortality of the soul, karma and the afterlife, reincarnationMyth of ErCASTSocratesSophistsAthenian boysPhilosophers

ParmenidesZeno of Eleaa vistor from EleaCratylusAtheniansEuthyphroCritoTheaetetusAristodemusAgathonPhaedrusAristophanesPausaniasEryximachusAlcibiadesLachesNiciasClitophonCritiasTheagesCharmidesHippothalesLysisMenexenusClinias470-399 BCSocrates roams around Athens, engaging others in philosophy. He claims to know nothing (except about love). His opponents are the sophists, paid teachers who claim to know everything, but (according to Socrates) only have the appearance of knowledge.35dialogues + letters*indicates uncertain authorshipDEFINITIONS*

Platothe Academy

Dictionary of 185 terms a fragment of the definitions of the Academydeveloping definitions was a common intellectual practice in ancient Greececorrect definitions were thought to make people morally bettertermsThe dialogues

There is no writing of Plato’s, nor will there ever be. Those that are now called so come from an idealized and youthful Socrates. (II)

Character

Strength, courage, and cleverness are qualities in which others also may win distinction; but to be preeminent above others in truthfulness, justice, high-mindedness, and the grace of conduct—this is what would by general consent be expected of those who profess to honor these traits of character. (IV)

Politics

Don’t forget that one must please men if one would do anything with them, whereas self-will is fit only for solitude. (IV)

Death

None of us can avoid death, nor if any man could would he be happy, as people think. (VII)

Knowledge

For every real being, there are three things that are necessary if knowledge of it is to be acquired: first, the name; second, the definition; third, the image; knowledge comes fourth, and in the fifth place we must put the object itself, the knowable and truly real being. (VII)QUOTES FROM LETTERSEPIGRAMS*Poetic writings(1) You gaze at the stars, my Star; would that I were Heaven, that I might look at you with many eyes!(2) Even as you shone once the Star of Morning, among the living, so in death you shine now the Star of Evening among the dead.(6) When I kiss Agathon, my soul is on my lips, where it comes, poor thing, hoping to cross over.(7) I throw the apple at you, and if you are willing to love me, take it and share your girlhood with me..(8) I am an apple, one who loves you throws me at you. Say yes, Xanthippe; we fade, both you and I.18poemsTHE ACADEMYSchool of Plato 304yearsPlato

SpeusippusXenocratesPolemoCratesArcesilausLacydes of CyreneEvander and TeleclesHegesinusCarneadesClitomachusPhilo of Larissa

founded by Plato ca. 387 BCattended by Aristotle 367-347 BCsite of a sacred grove of olive trees, later enclosed by a wallscholarchs